“Talk softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”
West African Proverb
At the turn of the 20th century the United States was in a strange place. As a country we were stretching our legs on the world stage, still arguably in our teenage years in existence (country years are kind of like dog years). The President at the time was Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt’s approach to any affair, regardless of the location, was to “talk softly and carry a big stick.” To talk calmly and directly, to work with others, and if necessary show your resolve.
My approach toward diplomacy is similar to that of President Roosevelt. This approach has been successful for world powers in modern history. As a country we must build relationships with other countries while also maintaining a force that is both visible and actively involved in the world as necessary. We are not the world’s policemen, but we are responsible for maintaining our word when it comes to allies, and expressing our force when necessary to send warnings to our enemies. The big stick is not meant to be a coercive measure of be my friend or else. Rather the big stick says here is my resolve to protect friendships, agreements, and interests of the United States of America. The United States does not seek to have enemies, rather we allow enemies to declare themselves through intelligence reports and rejection of friendship. Our response to enemies should remain swift and steadfast. I still hold to a sustainable policy of non-negotiation with terrorist.